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2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse Owner Comments

Eclipse

0 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The main issue seems to be a manufacturing defect in the wave/cushion spring located in the transmission. Mitsubishi has designed the wave spring as a fragile two coil piece which has been known to repeatedly break causing catastrophic failure in the transmission. This in turn poses a threat on the driver and passengers. When this wave spring breaks, actual pieces of the wave spring make it through Mitsubishi's also faulty transmission filter and lodge themselves in the pump gear, causing the gear to actually break. After the pump gear has been broken inside the transmission, all forward and reverse gears immediately stop function and in most instances the vehicle shuts off. This could result in potential harm or even death of the driver and/or passenger as the vehicle loses all moving power which can cause an accident with other vehicles on the road. Mitsubishi has recently created an updated version of the wave spring without issuing a recall, which now is a one piece instead of the coil setup and has a less chance of breaking. To many Mitsubishi/Dodge owners this update was discovered after they have had their vehicle in a transmission shop with a hefty bill to pay even though it was Mitsubishi's fault for engineering a faulty part in their transmission. All one person would need to find out about this issue is search the internet with the transmission code (F4A51) and this issue is well documented, even researched by transmission digest (a specialty magazine). Not only is this a large inconvenience to most, it is also a hazard to ones life. Mitsubishi should recall all vehicles which contain the F4A51 automatic transmission to perform the wave spring and filter update or reimburse those who have already had it done at their cost. This is an issue that needs to be addressed as if you own a vehicle with the F4A51

Eclipse

68,000 miles

This vehicle suddenly started stalling whether idling, accelorating, or coasting. It would then have trouble starting and run fine again. After taking it to the mitsubshi dealership on western blvd in jacksonville, nc, they could not diagnose it but found in their data base that there is a tiny part in the crank shaft that could cause this problem. After waiting a week for parts they realized they had the wrong tool. Another week waiting for the tool and the new part ddid not fix the problem. Another week of keeping my car they replaced the fuel injection regulator with a used part, this did not fix it. Another week with a new fuel injector. Now it does not stall but I cant get gas in the gas tank, the car smells like gas, there is still occasional stalling, and the new timing belt they put on screeches with the first start of the day everyday. The gas tank problem is found to be that the valve is stuck in the full and closed position and whole new gas tankis recommended. Another two weeks and still waiting on the gas tank. My car has been in the shop since August 22nd and it is now October first and my car is still unsafe to drive and waiting for parts. How is it that Mitsubishi can allow their service department to take this long, cost this much, and to return a vehicle to the customer in worse shape than it was given? I paid for all of these new parts and labor, and still have a vehicle that I cant use. Also, as a side note, it is black which means the cheap factory clear coat is coming off, the ac leaks on the driverside floor, the trunk does not open when you pull the lever...these are all things that should not be expired on an 03 vehicle and are so common with this vehicle. This is not acceptable.

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